The Keeper was in the Hall of Winter, trying hard to keep his focus. He was supposed to be writing, but he was distracted. He put down his pen and glanced at an open door a short distance away. Periwinkle had been inside that room for most of the day. He went over and poked his head in to check on her.

She was sitting in the middle of the large snowflake, mesmerized by the images projected on the icy walls. Again and again, she watched the story of how she and Tinker Bell had been born.

Just then, Lord Milori walked past Dewey and up to the edge of the snowflake. Periwinkle turned to him, her eyes filled with tears. The Keeper ducked out of the room. He hoped that Lord Milori would be able to comfort the young frost fairy.

At the same time, on the warm side of Pixie Hollow, Tinker Bell was with Queen Clarion in her chambers. She had begged the queen to reconsider her rule. The queen smiled sadly at Tinker Bell. “Long ago,” she began, “when Pixie Hollow was very young, two fairies met and fell in love. One of them was a winter fairy.”

In the Hall of Winter, Lord Milori was telling Periwinkle the same tale. “And the other was from the warm seasons,” he said. “The two fairies were enchanted with each other, and every sunset they met at the border…”

“…where spring touches winter,” Queen Clarion continued. “But as their love grew stronger, they wished to be together.”

“And share each other’s worlds,” Lord Milori said. “So they disregarded the danger and crossed.”

“One of them broke a wing,” Queen Clarion finished quietly. “For which there is no cure.”

“From that day forward,” said Lord Milori, “Queen Clarion declared that fairies must never again cross the border. And I agreed that our two worlds should forever remain apart.”

Periwinkle wiped a tear from her cheek. “And the two fairies?” she said.

“What happened to them?” Tink asked Queen Clarion.

The queen’s gaze fell. “They had to say good-bye,” she whispered.

Tinker Bell’s shoulders slumped. It was no use. She would never see her sister again. Quietly, she walked over to a large window in the queen’s chambers. As she looked outside, she saw a tiny snowflake float down from the sky. She drew in a sharp breath.

Oh, no, she thought.